Thursday, November 15, 2018

Consolidated Cocke County social services
A group of Cocke County social service agencies gathered Wednesday to talk about plans for a centralized structure which will house all the groups. Jeannie Birdwell, who is the spokesperson for Newport/Cocke County Senior Center/Senior Social Services, said plans call for an 11,900 square-foot building to be situated on three plus acres that Cocke County has donated on Cope Boulevard. "It's a combination of Douglas Cherokee Economic Authority, Head Start, Central Charities(Breadbasket), SCHAS(senior homecare assistance)and ETHRA," Birdwell said. The facility will include a loading dock for Breadbasket as well as a commercial kitchen for preparation of meals for seniors as well as for the Headstart students." Birdwell has applied for grants, and some of the needed money will have to be borrowed locally. Then each organization housed in the facility will pay rent toward the cost. There is no timeframe for a groundbreaking, pending financing. According to Birdwell the cost of the structure is expected to be in the $1.5 to $1.8 million range depending on the amount of excavation that will be required. "We have hired an architect, and we want to move ahead with the project as quickly as possible. But that will depend on Cocke Countians buying into this project because it is for the entire county. Hopefully people will understand that this is a project that will be worth sacrificing for."


Return to Today's News Stories - Front Page

Thursday, April 29, 2021

  • US 411 Project News
  • Mill Creek Wildfire Update
  • More Bad News For Smokies' Fans

    Wednesday, April 28, 2021

  • Mill Creek Wildfire doubles in size
  • Goodbye Smokies?
  • Keep Cocke County Beautiful
  • Cocke Co. High School Remote Learning today!

    Tuesday, April 27, 2021

  • The fireflies are coming!
  • Burnout Operations on MillCreek wildfire today
  • Gas prices drop
  • Tennessee keeps all US House seats

    Monday, April 26, 2021

  • Boat accident victim ID'd
  • Traffic stop yields drug arrest
  • Cocke County Wildfires

    Friday, April 23, 2021

  • Leaving WNPC
  • Mathis announces candidacy
  • Newport drug roundup
  • Cruise Against Cancer
  • Jobless numbers